Wales

Facts & Figures

Area: 20,764 sq km (8017 sq mi)
Population: 2.9 million
Capital city: Cardiff (pop 265,000)
People: Celts, Anglo-Saxons
Language: Welsh, English
Religion: Nonconformist Protestants, Anglicans, Catholics
Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister: Tony Blair

GDP: US$1,054 billion
GDP per head: US$18,000
Annual growth: 3%
Inflation: 3%
Major industries: Agriculture and forestry, manufacturing, tourism
Major trading partners: EU & USA
Member of the EU: Yes

Traveling Guidelines

Visas: EU citizens may live and work free of any immigration controls. Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand are generally allowed to stay six months without a visa.
Health risks: None
Time: GMT/UTC
Electricity: 240V, 50Hz
Weights & Measures: Metric (except beer, which is measured in pints)

Ideal time to visit

Spring and autumn are probably the best times to visit Wales if you want to avoid the July and August crowds. It's even less busy in winter, but many attractions close in mid-October and don't reopen until Easter. Some mountain passes can be snowbound in winter.

Events

Wales wouldn't be Wales without eisteddfodau. The big one is the Royal National Eisteddfodd of Wales, a moveable show held in early August, but you could also try the International Eisteddfod, held in Llangollen every July, or the Urdd (Youth) Eisteddfod held in May. Wales' yearly festival of cows and ploughs, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, is on at Llanelwedd in mid-July.

Money & Costs

Currency: Pound sterling (£), euro

• Budget meal: US$5-10

• Moderate restaurant meal: US$15-25

• Top-end restaurant meal: US$30+
  
  

• Budget room: US$15-30

• Moderate hotel: US$40-100

• Top-end hotel: US$100+

Wales is expensive, but nowhere near as expensive as England. Cardiff's prices are generally 5-10% lower than those in England. Wales' cities are generally more expensive than the countryside, but even outside the cities you'll still need at least US$25 a day, and if you stay in B&Bs, eat one sit-down meal a day and don't stint on entry fees, you'll need about US$60 a day.

Traveler's checks are widely accepted in banks and you might as well buy them in pounds sterling to avoid changing currencies twice. Cashpoints (ATMs) are very common in Britain: most are linked to major credit cards as well as the Cirrus, Maestro and Plus cash networks, but if a machine swallows your card it can be a nightmare. Most banks insist on chopping it in half and sending it back to your home branch - very helpful.

If you eat in a restaurant you should leave a tip of at least 10% unless the service was unsatisfactory. Waiting staff are often paid derisory wages on the assumption that the money will be supplemented by tips. Some restaurants include a service charge on the bill, in which case a gratuity is unnecessary. Taxi drivers expect to be tipped about 10%.